An Organizational Approach to Addressing Racism in Orthopaedic Surgery: AOA Critical Issues Symposium

Area of Science:

• Orthopaedic Surgery
• Healthcare Disparities
• Diversity and Inclusion

Background:

• Systemic racism exists within orthopaedic surgery, stifling conversations and perpetuating healthcare disparities.
• Lack of diversity in orthopaedic surgery negatively impacts patient care.
• The J. Robert Gladden Orthopaedic Society is developing datasets to measure workforce diversity.

Purpose of the Study:

• Acknowledge and address systemic racism in orthopaedic surgery.
• Develop strategies to combat racism in orthopaedic departments and practices.
• Understand the role of pipeline programs in diversifying the orthopaedic surgeon workforce.

Main Methods:

• Symposium discussions from the American Orthopaedic Association (May 2021).
• Focus on acknowledging racism, developing intervention plans, and evaluating pipeline programs.
• Utilizing data sets to measure diversity in orthopaedic residency programs.

Main Results:

• Honest conversations about racism are often stifled, hindering progress.
• Data collection efforts are underway to quantify diversity within residency programs.
• Pipeline programs like Nth Dimensions have a proven track record.

Conclusions:

• Combating racism requires acknowledging its existence and its impact on patient care.
• Orthopaedic departments must prioritize measuring diversity, fostering inclusive faculty environments, and supporting mentorship and promotion.
• Pipeline programs are essential for diversifying the orthopaedic surgeon workforce to reflect U.S. demographics.